Expansions and Inequalities, 1820-1869

Industry and Immigration Key Ideas The Industrial Revolution transformed every facet of American life. Women made significant contributions to the Industrial Revolution. Americans did not welcome early waves of immigrants to the U.S. Introduction Unknown Artist, The Five Points, ca. 1827? The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Screven Lorillard (Alice Whitney), from the collection of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, 2016. The inventions and innovations of the Industrial Revolution transformed every aspect of American life, from the food people ate, to the places they lived and the games they played. For the first time, women were encouraged to leave their family homes and work for wages, and inventors sought ways to ease the burden of caring for home and family. Of course, these advancements came at a high cost. The

Politics and Society Key Ideas The middle of the 1800s was a critical period in the evolution of women’s roles in U.S. society and politics. The women’s rights movement emerged from a growing understanding that women could not effect real social change until they had true economic and political independence from men. Women’s experiences of the mid-1800s varied widely based on their race and social class. Increased awareness of these differences was one of the motivators for activists in the women’s rights movement. Introduction Adah Isaacs Menken portrait, American Jewish Historical Society Politics and Society One of the great debates of the early 1800s was what role women should play in U.S. society, and this conflict only heated up in the middle of the century. Despite messaging in popular culture

Westward Expansion Key Ideas Women played a critical role in the U.S. campaign to claim and settle the lands west of the Mississippi.  U.S. expansion was a violent undertaking that had far-reaching consequences for all caught up in the enterprise. Westward expansion created opportunities for people of different races and genders to push the boundaries of U.S. society and customs. Introduction Robert Lindneux (1871–1970). The Trail of Tears, 1942. Woolaroc Museum, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Westward Expansion Between 1830 and 1869, thousands of settlers poured into the lands west of the Mississippi River. They traveled by wagon, train, steamship, and on foot, seeking land and the opportunity to build a better life.  Life in the American West was dangerous and difficult for women of all races and social classes, but it also afforded

Expansions and Inequalities, 1820-1869 Key Ideas The mid-19th century was a transformative time in American history. The role and expectations of women evolved rapidly in the mid-19th century. The experiences of women in this period varied widely based on race, class, age, gender identity, and geographic region. Introduction Spinning cotton with self-acting mules of type devised by Richard Roberts (1825). Print c1835. World History Archive / Alamy Photo In most histories of the United States, the mid-19th century is dominated by the narrative of the Civil War. But beyond the war, this period was one of rapid and monumental transition. In these decades, the U.S. expanded swiftly and undertook an organized campaign to divest Indigenous people of their lands and sovereignty. The Industrial Revolution transformed work, home, and the way people lived their lives.